Au Pair USA

Update：2019-04-22 11:15:00Click：9925

In 1986 the Department of State established the Au Pair Program as an educational and cultural exchange program.

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In 1986 the Department of State established the Au Pair Program as an educational and cultural exchange program with a strong childcare component. Au Pair International is officially designated and regulated by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to be a sponsor of the Au Pair Program. You can check the website at www.exchanges.state.gov. Every au pair is issued a J-1 cultural exchange visa allowing them to participate in the Au Pair Program and live with an American host family for 12 months with the option to apply for an one time extension of 6, 9, or 12 additional months.

"Au pair" means "on par" or equal. Au pairs become an “on par” member of an American family, sharing a cultural exchange experience. The au pair's work hours and responsibilities vary greatly depending on the family's child care needs and schedule. The au pair may provide personalized child care up to 45 hours per week, up to 10 hours per day. The au pair's duties may or may not include child care and light child care related housekeeping such as:

• Supervising and playing with the host family’s children.

• Awakening the children, getting them ready for school.

• Preparing meals for the children.

• Playing games, doing art projects.

• Bathing, changing and dressing the children.

• Putting children to bed and being on watch while children are sleeping.

• Driving children to school and appointments

• Straightening children's rooms and picking up after children.

• Doing children's laundry.

In exchange, the au pair receives a weekly stipend of $195.75* per week ($225 for Au Pair Professional) an education stipend of up to $500, room and board, training, monthly meetings, supervision and the opportunity to experience American language, life and culture.

The weekly stipend is normally tax free. The total value received from the program is $17,000 to $22,000 when accounting for the value of everything that is provided to the au pair during the program.